Wire winding apparatus



oct. 13, 1964 @DZUGAN 3,152,769

WIRE WINDING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 10 1962 United States Patent O 3,152,769 WEE WliNDlNG APPARATUS George Dzugan, Mendham, NJ., assigner to Western Electric Company, incorporated, New York, NX., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 1d, 1962, Ser. No. 222,487 S'Claims. (Cl. 242-25) This invention relates to wire winding apparatus and, more particularly, to apparatus for maintaining the tension in a wire substantially constant as it is being wound upon `a takeup reel.

In the manufacture of wire, it is important that there be means for winding the wire upon a takeup reel at high speeds. Moreover, such winding apparatus should minimize the possibility of wire breakage and also effect wire build-up on the takeup reel with uniform, over-V lapping oonvolutions. These desired attributes, of course, require that the wire remain under substantially constant tension. This has presented difliculties heretofore, however, because the back-and-forth lateral movement of a wire distributor, for example, between the end anges of a takeup reel generally effects a sinusoidal or periodic 'type of variation in wire length. Unfortunately, this Variation, even when compensated for by prior art techniques, has resulted in a corresponding variation in Wire tension. v v

More specifically, in prior art Wire winding apparatus, the wire after leaving a supply unit has normally been looped between a number of spaced sheaves, one or more of which are resiliently mounted to function as so-called jockey sheaves, before the wire passes through a suitable distributor to the takeup reel. As the wire is being distributed with such an arrangement, the variation in wire length caused by the lateral movement of the distributor produces a corresponding movement in each jockey sheave associated with a wire loop. This, in turn, has the effect of increasing or decreasing the length of wire in each of such loops by an amount intended to offset or com pensate for the movement of the distributor. The end effect of such an arrangement is that any movement of a jockey sheave to compensate for variations in wire `length is directly translated into corresponding variations length compensation without affecting wire tension uni-V formity in a wire winding system of unique and simplified construction.

These and other objects of this invention are attained in one illustrative wire winding apparatus wherein. the wire is successively` passed around an upper rotatable, resiliently mounted guide sheave, a lower rotatable,

,rigidly mounted guide sheave, an upper rotatable resiliently mounted guide sheave, a lower rotatable, rigidly mounted guide sheave, a wire length compensa-ting sheave located between the upper and lower guide sheaves, and then through a distributor unit onto a takeup reel. The distributor unit and takeup reel areY positioned in a plane transverse with respect to the upper and .lower guide sheaves. The resiliently mounted sheaves are utilized to control only the tension in the Wire being Wound upon the takeup reel, with variations in wire length having no appreciable effect on their movement.

In accordance with an aspect of the invention, the Wire length compensating sheave is mechanically coupled to the wire distributor and moves along a linear path extending between the upper and lower guide sheaves, i.e., in a direction perpendicular to the lateral movement of the distributor. More ,specically, the compensating sheave moves in a direction toward the lower guide sheave with which it defines a wire loop a distance proportionate to the increase in wire length caused by the movement of the distributor from the center region of the takeup reel toward either flanged end thereof. As a result, the movement of the compensating sheave delivers more wire to the loop with which it is associated or removes wire therefrom by an amount necessary to maintain the effective total length of wire constant which, in turn, maintains the wire tension constant.

The unique wire winding apparatus thus advantageously separates the functions of Wire tension control and wire length compensation in such a way that the latter has no appreciable effect on the former. In other words, the upper resiliently mounted sheaves are only sensitive to external changes in tension, such as caused by a drag in the wire supply unit and/or an increase in speed of the takeup reel.,V They are insensitive to the sinusoidal variations in wire length caused by the movement of the distributor and/ or the compensating sheave coupled thereto.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become more fully understood from a consideration of the following description, together with the single accompanying drawing illustrative of one preferred embodiment.

With reference to the drawing, a unique wire winding apparatus indicated generally by the numeral 1t) is illustrated for maintaining a wire under substantially constant tension as it is being Wound upon a takeup reel 12. Apparatus 10 is mounted on a suitable platform 11, which may be oriented in any desired position, it being illustrated in a vertical position mainly to facilitate a description of the relative locations of the various parts thereof.

A wire 14, which normally is supplied at a substantially constant linear rate of speed from a suitable supply unit (not shown), which may comprise a drawing machine or a lfabricating device that may function to form, cut or vulcanizethe wire, for example, is fed over a rotatable guide sheave 15, suitably mounted on a support member 16, to a pair of resiliently mounted or jockey sheaves 17 and 18. Sheaves 17 and 18 are rotatably mounted on a shaft 19 aixed at one end to a mounting block 20 which, in turn, is aixed to a pivotal arm 21.

i Arm 21 is pivoted about a pin 22 affixed to the platform 11 through a mounting plate 23, and biased'upwardly on its underside by a spring 24 which is mounted on a base 2S affixed to the plate 23. :Spring Z4 is utilized to provide the desired tension on the wire 14 during winding, and to be sensitive to and smooth out any changes in tension that mightV occur during a winding operation.

A lower pair of Xed guide sheaves 27 and 28 are rotatably mounted on a common shaft 29 aixed at one end to'a U-shaped mounting bracket 30 which, in turn, is affixed to the platform 11.

Below the guide sheaves 27, 28 and extending in a direction transverse wit-h respect to the axes thereof, is a wire distributor unit indicated generally by the reference numeral 35. The distributor comprises a guide sheave 36 rotatably mounted on a movable member 37. Member 37fis apertured for mounting on two parallel extending guide rods 38 and 39; one of these rods such as 38, as shown, is threaded to function as a lead screw as well as a support rod. In this manner, a motor (not shown) for example, may be utilized to rotate rod 3S iirst in one direction, until the guide sheave 36 is adjacent to one end flange of takeu-p reel 12, and then rotate rod 38 in the reverse direction until the shaft 36 is adjacent the opposite end flange of the takeup reel. Other well-known techniques, such as specially cut lead screws which do not require a reversal in rotation to effect a reversal in direction of the distributor, may be utilized with equal effectiveness. The extremities of such lateral movement of the wire distributor are indicated by the dotted line views of the guide sheave 36 and mounting member 37. Numerous other well-known techniques may be employed to cause the distributor member 37 to move the guide sheave 36 back and forth along lead screw 38 and parallel to the axis of the ltakeup reel at a uniform rate.

ln accordance with the invention, there is located intermediate the upper and lower pairs of guide sheaves i7, i8 and 27, 23,'a wire length compensating unit indicated generally by the reference numeral 4l. Thisunit comprises a compensating sheave 42 lrotatably mounted on a shaft 43 which is affixed at one end to a vertically movable mounting block 44. Block 44 is apertured to accommodate two parallel and vertically extending guide rods 46 and 47. These rods are affixed at their upper ends to a mounting plate 43 and at their lower ends to a mounting plate 49, both plates extending outwardly fromV .'platform 1li. and attached thereto. An actuating bar 5@ is pivotally connected by a pin (not shown) at one end to the back side of the mounting block 44 and pivotally connected at the other end by a pin l to a protruding tab 52 of the guide member 37 of the wire distributing unit 35.

The operation of the'wire winding apparatus l@ will now be described. The Wire 14, which it will be assumed is being fed at a substantially uniform rate from a wire supply unit (not shown), passes successively over the guide sheave i5, over the top of spring-biased sheave 17, ydiagonally downward to and around the bottom side of the lower guide sheave 27, diagonally upward to and around the top side of spring-biased guide sheave 1S, diagonally downward to and around the bottom side of guide sheave 28, diagonally upward to and around the top side of the compensating sheave 42 and then diagonally downward to and around theunderside of guide sheave 36 and thence to the takeup reel 46.

As the guide sheave 36 is moved laterallyy between the end flanges of the takeup reel 40, this would normally vary the length of the wire between the guide sheave 36 and the compensating sheave 42. However, in accordance with the invention, the otherwise varying length of wire is compensated by the vertical movement of the compensating sheave 42 which either delivers or removes a necessary length of wire from the loop defined between itself and the lower guide sheave 2S. Movement of sheave 42 is, of course, effected by the pivotal movement of actuating har Sil. Stating the compensating effect another way, any lateral movement of the guide sheave 36 will produce a proportionate lvertical movement of the compensating sheave 42 such that the effective length of wire between guide sheave l5 and guide sheave 3oremains substantially constant. i l

A wire winding apparatus has thus been disclosed which uniquely separates the functions of wire tension control and wire length compensation such that a variation in one in no Way adversely affects the other. t

It is to be understood that the specific embodiment de- 4 scribed herein is merely illustrative of the general principles of the present invention.. Various other arrangements and modifications may be devised in the light of this disclosure by one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of this inveneion.

What is claimed is:

l. A wire winding apparatus for continuously winding wire upon a takeup reel comprising a rst rotatable, resiliently mounted guide sheave and a second rotatable, rigidly mounted guide sheave, said guide sheaves being spaced apart and forming a first wire loop preceding the point at which said wire is wound upon said takeup reel,

a third rotatable, resiliently mounted guide sheave and a fourth rotatable, rigidly mounted guide sheave, said third and fourth guide sheaves being spaced apart and forming a second wire loop immediately following said first Wire loop,

wire distributor means positioned adjacent to and movable in a direction axially of said talieup reel for dispensing said wire on said takeup reel with uniform convol-utions and layers, and

means for compensating for the variations in wire length caused by said distributor without causing any appreciable variations in wire tension during winding, said last-mentioned means comprising compensating sheave means mechanically coupled to said distributor means and movable in a direction perpendicular to the path of travel of said distributor means and movable over a distance proportional to the movement of said distributor means, said compensating sheave forming a wire loop between itself and said fourth guide sheave wherein the length of said wire varies by an amount necessary to maintain the tension in said wire substantially constant during the winding thereof upon said takeup reel.

2. Wire winding apparatus in accordance with claim 1 wherein said first and third lguide sheaves and said second and fourth guide sheaves are mounted in respective pairs, and wherein said compensating sheave means includes a rotatable sheave positioned intermediate said -pairs of guide sheaves and'movable along a pat-h between said pairs of guide sheaves.

3. Wire winding apparatus in accordance with claim 2 wherein said compensating sheave means includes a multi-apertured block,

a shaft on which said compensating sheave is mounted,

said shaft .being supported at one end in said apertured block,

two guide rods, the apertures in said block accommodating said guide rods respectively and permitting movement of said block and compensating sheave in the direction axially of said rods, and further includan actuating bar pivotally connected at one end to said distributor means and pivotally connected at the other end to said apertured block.

4. In a system .for winding wire upon a takeup reel,

apparatus comprising:

at least two spaced rotatable sheaves about which the advancing wire forms a first loop before being dispensed upon a takeup reel, one of said sheaves being resiliently mounted and the other of said sheaves being rigidly mounted,

wire ydistributing means positionedadjacent to and movable in a direction axially of said takeup reel for dispensing wire thereupon in uniform layers, and

means for compensating for the'variations in wire length caused by the movement of said distributing means without causing an appreciable variation in wire tensionduring winding, said last-mentioned means including,

rotatable sheave means mechanically coupled to said V distributor means ,and movable in a direction perpendicular to the path of travel of said distributor 5. Apparatus in accordance with claim 4 wherein said 10 3,038,674

6 rotatable compensating sheave is moved by an actuating member pivotally connected at one end to said distributor means and pivotally connected at` the other end to a part of said wire compensating means.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,959,680 Livingston May 22, 1934 2,950,068 Rutgers Aug. 23, 1960 Wahl June 22, 1962 

4. IN A SYSTEM FOR WINDING WIRE UPON A TAKEUP REEL, APPARATUS COMPRISING: AT LEAST TWO SPACED ROTATABLE SHEAVES ABOUT WHICH THE ADVANCING WIRE FORMS A FIRST LOOP BEFORE BEING DISPENSED UPON A TAKEUP REEL, ONE OF SAID SHEAVES BEING RESILIENTLY MOUNTED AND THE OTHER OF SAID SHEAVES BEING RIGIDLY MOUNTED, WIRE DISTRIBUTING MEANS POSITIONED ADJACENT TO AND MOVABLE IN A DIRECTION AXIALLY OF SAID TAKEUP REEL FOR DISPENSING WIRE THEREUPON IN UNIFORM LAYERS, AND MEANS FOR COMPENSATING FOR THE VARIATIONS IN WIRE LENGTH CAUSED BY THE MOVEMENT OF SAID DISTRIBUTING MEANS WITHOUT CAUSING AN APPRECIABLE VARIATION IN WIRE TENSION DURING WINDING, SAID LAST-MENTIONED MEANS INCLUDING, ROTATABLE SHEAVE MEANS MECHANICALLY COUPLED TO SAID DISTRIBUTOR MEANS AND MOVABLE IN A DIRECTION PERPENDICULAR TO THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF SAID DISTRIBUTOR MEANS AND MOVABLE OVER A DISTANCE PROPORTIONAL TO THE MOVEMENT OF SAID DISTRIBUTOR MEANS, THE ROTATABLE SHEAVE OF SAID COMPENSATING MEANS FORMING A SECOND WIRE LOOP BETWEEN ITSELF AND ONE OF SAID TWO SPACED ROTATABLE SHEAVES WHEREIN THE LENGTH OF SAID WIRE DEFINED BY SAID SECOND LOOP VARIES BY AN AMOUNT NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN THE TENSION IN SAID WIRE SUBSTANTIALLY CONSTANT DURING THE WINDING THEREOF UPON SAID TAKEUP REEL. 